REP21686 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• INTRODUCTION The Colorado Yampa Coal Company Mine I and Eckman Park Mine are located approximately 25 miles southwest of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in Twentymile Park (Figure I). They are inactive surface coal mining operations. Mine 1 and the Eckman Park Mine (collectively called Mine I in this report) are located near [he top of the Foidel Creek drainage in the south end of Twentymile Park. Avery small portion of the disturbed area extends into the Middle Creek drainage. The Wadge Coal seam was extracted during active mining operations. Active mining has ceased with a total of approximately 2200 acres having been mined in Eckman Park. A total of approximately 3175 acres has been disturbed at Mine 1. This includes a coal loadout, and maintenance and administrative facilities, which have been transferred to Twentymile Coal Company. Also, Mine 1 is adjacent to Twentymile Coal Company's Foidel Creek underground mine. The operations share some of the discharge control facilities. A spur of the Union Pacific Railroad runs to the mine site. Hydrologic monitoring has been conducted in the area since 1975. Surface coal mining and reclamation activities in the Mine I area were conducted from the !970's to 1991. This report covers the hydrologic monitoring for the 2000 water year. The previous monitoring of this area has been presented in prior Annual Hydrologic Reports. The following discussions regarding hydrologic monitoring has been divided into four pans: 1) ground water, 2) surface water, 3) spoil springs, and 4) effluent sites. The monitoring locations are shown on Figures 2 and 3 and monitoring requirements are summarized on Table I. The required monitoring parameter lists are shown on Tables 2 and 3. Complete listings of all water data collected at the monitoring sites during [he 2000 water year are provided with this report on Tables 4 through 45. Statistical summaries of • period of record water quality data are typically presented as Tables 4a through 45a. Statistical summaries of period of record flow rate or water level data as appropriate are typically provided as Tables 4b through 45b. Surface water station historical Flow summaries are presented on Table 17. Spoil spring survey data from May 2000 is presented on Table 30 and sediment pond flow summary information is presented on Table 41. Selected data is plotted on Figures 4 through 76. Unless otherwise indicated, reference to a year means the 2000 water year (October 1, 1999 through September 30, 2000). Hydrologic monitoring during 2000 was conducted by Colorado Yampa/Twentymile Coal Company personnel and Miller Water Monitor Service. Water quality analyses were performed by ACZ Laboratories of Steamboat Springs, Colorado and Commercia{ Testing And Engineering of Denver, Colorado. Until the 1989 water year the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected and analyzed [he water samples for three surface water monitoring sites (USGS 09234700, 09243800 and 09234900). Beginning in the 1989 water year, CYCC collected the samples and ACZ Laboratories and Commercial Testing And Engineering analyzed the samples, however, USGS continued to monitor flows. GROUND WATER MONITORING BEDROCX The Wadge Overburden formation (including ttte Wadge coal seam) overlies the Trout Creek Sandstone and underlies the Twentymile Sandstone. Four wells in the Wadge Overburden (which includes the Wadge Coal) are monitored in the vicinity of Mines No.l and Eckman Park. Wells 009-79-4, 006-82-74C, 94M001, and 94M002 require semi-annual monitoring for water levels, field parameters, and water quality samples. • Required monitoring for these wells was completed in 2000 with field measurements obtained and water quality samples collected during April and September. Beginning in 1995, monitoring wells 026-79-4 and 026-79-6 were replaced by 94M001 and 94M002. CYCC2000.doc 1/31/01